Lucy’s Logbook: How to get the most out of your aviation portable this Spring

Springtime is in full swing as the fragrance of blossoming flowers fills the air, newborn bunnies gather in the backyard to nibble on clover, and pilots flock to the Garmin website for… software updates?

Spring is a great time to dedicate some of your spring-cleaning time toward your GPS!  Spend a few minutes visiting our website and download a free software update using our WebUpdater program. Simply connect your Garmin aviation portable to the computer and download the WebUpdater program to update your unit to the latest version.  It is good practice to perform software updates on a regular basis, so if it has been a while, dedicate a few minutes to getting things up to date this spring.  These updates generally help out with GPS satellite acquisition and assist with XM weather downloads, as well.

Speaking of XM weather, as pilots we know springtime really means an increase in the number of Convective Sigmets, an abundance of cumulonimbus clouds, and dusting off the aviation weather books so we can remind ourselves of the difference between what  “PL” and “GR” represent in a METAR weather report (ice pellets and hail, in case you were wondering).  Many of these pilot-related, springtime concerns pertain to weather and for good reason; it is typically a large part of what contributes to our “Go/No-Go” decision.  If you haven’t used your XM antenna all winter long, it’s a good idea to have a refresh signal sent.  Simply connect the antenna, power the unit on, take it outside with a clear view of the southern sky, and type your Radio ID into this website.  You can find your XM Radio ID number on the bottom of your XM antenna. These two simple enhancements will make getting back into flying much easier this spring.  Besides, you didn’t really want to clean the gutters anyway, right?

The post Lucy’s Logbook: How to get the most out of your aviation portable this Spring appeared first on Garmin Blog.